A 58-year-old man from Jonesburg, Missouri, has died of injuries he suffered in a freeway collision involving two semi-trucks, a car and a van. Richard E. Matteson was declared dead within about one hour of the crash, which happened at 8:20 a.m. Tuesday, January 17, on Interstate 270 near Clayton, Mo. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol Traffic Crash Report obtained by truck accident lawyers Fred Pritzker and Eric Hageman, Matteson was a passenger in a Dodge van that veered across all southbound lanes. The report said a Freightliner semi truck struck a unit being towed by the van. The van carrying Mr. Matteson then flipped over and was struck by a Kenworth tractor trailer and an Infiniti G37X. The van and trailer caught fire, the highway patrol reported. The driver of the car and the driver of the van were injured, the report said. All four vehicles were heading south when the wreck happened.
In the aftermath of a complex wrongful death accident, it’s important for next-of-kin family members to retain experienced legal counsel. A steady hand in court can be consequential in all the right ways when it comes time to hold drivers accountable for harmful actions on the road that were avoidable or preventable.
Past clients of Fred and Eric have made lengthy, heartfelt testimonials on their behalf. They appreciated how the law firm kept them in the loop throughout the process, but shouldered all the litigation without burdening the family. Clients in truck accident lawsuits handled by the Pritzker Hageman, PA , commonly are surprised at the lengths Fred and Eric go to when digging into semi-truck accident reconstruction and liability. Clients have recovered tens of millions of dollars, but in many cases are most thankful for the fighting that goes on in the trenches to hold people accountable for unsafe or negligent driving practices.
As traumatic as fatal semi truck accidents can be for surviving family members, it’s important for next of kin to act quickly when seeking representation. Trucking firms are aggressively out to protect their own interests with lawyers of their own. Lawyers for victims only have so long to make demands for background information important to the case.
